You probably don't want to leave them plugged in all at once for various reasons. First and foremost, if the amp doesn't have a switch for the outputs, that means it's likely wiring each up all the time (in parallel) and when you plug in more than one you will changing the impedance of the output dramatically. r = 1 / ((1 / r) + (1 / r2) + (1 / r3) ...)). In your specific case,

1 / ((1 / 32) + (1 / 50) + (1 / 300)) = 18.32 so you're now driving an 18.32 ohm load. That might be stable for that amp, but keep in mind the current draw will also be increased dramatically while the voltage is the same across each.

Your headphones will also have a very different sensitivity. The volume knob at 9 o'clock will be driving the RS1s and LCD2 a lot louder than the HD800s so if you decide to crank up the HD800 you may damage the other 2 in the process.

You may also get some interesting side effects from background noise caused by each headphones bleeding into each other. I'm only guessing here, but moving magnets produce their own current and voltage which will be put on the same wires as your other headphones. I doubt you'd hear it, but it'd probably be measurable.

Basically what I'm saying is, don't do it unless you have an amp with three amp circuits that can drive each independently. Studio monitor amps can have this kind of thing, but not high end audiophile amps. Like this http://www.behringer.com/EN/Products/HA4700.aspx

So now I will need to either keep plugging/unplugging the headphones or get dedicated amps.

The latter should be more fun because even if I do get DEDICATED amps, this will undoubtedly end up in me switching headphones and trying different amps.

So now the (amp)hunt begins.

Any suggestions are most welcome

By the way, I don't think I bumped the thread "often", it was just once. And that too because of the time zone difference

It was bedtime here and I would have had to wait till the next morning ( which, in any case, is exactly what happened)

Quote:

Originally Posted by dan1son

No need to bump the thread that often. Maybe once a day.

You probably don't want to leave them plugged in all at once for various reasons. First and foremost, if the amp doesn't have a switch for the outputs, that means it's likely wiring each up all the time (in parallel) and when you plug in more than one you will changing the impedance of the output dramatically. r = 1 / ((1 / r) + (1 / r2) + (1 / r3) ...)). In your specific case,

1 / ((1 / 32) + (1 / 50) + (1 / 300)) = 18.32 so you're now driving an 18.32 ohm load. That might be stable for that amp, but keep in mind the current draw will also be increased dramatically while the voltage is the same across each.

Your headphones will also have a very different sensitivity. The volume knob at 9 o'clock will be driving the RS1s and LCD2 a lot louder than the HD800s so if you decide to crank up the HD800 you may damage the other 2 in the process.

You may also get some interesting side effects from background noise caused by each headphones bleeding into each other. I'm only guessing here, but moving magnets produce their own current and voltage which will be put on the same wires as your other headphones. I doubt you'd hear it, but it'd probably be measurable.

Basically what I'm saying is, don't do it unless you have an amp with three amp circuits that can drive each independently. Studio monitor amps can have this kind of thing, but not high end audiophile amps. Like this http://www.behringer.com/EN/Products/HA4700.aspx

Maybe you're one of the lucky ones in the UAE and have some cash to spend :p. The best advise I can give you is to not trust the audio advise of others. I like my HD800. At our Brisbane meet, many people were... disappointed with them. They thought they would love them. They were wrong.

I think having 3 headphones plugged into one amp is kind of silly. If you're wanting to switch between different headphones, go buy a switch! It would be a pretty easy DIY job too. :).

There are a lot of options out there, especially considering you're willing to drop several thousand dollars on amps.

I'm more of a low-end audiophile grade guy since I don't have that kind of cash to spend on gear at the moment (22 month old/wife due Monday with #2), and I don't find the extra grand you can spend worth that much in sound quality.

Either way... my suggestion to you is not just go for different sound sigs across styles of amps, but also try different types of amps. Get some solid state amps (discrete and opamp based), tube amps, hybrid amps perhaps, with/without DAC, etc. Tubes might sound great with the HD800, but mediocre with the Grados... might as well have the other option at hand.

The tube and opamp based amps also have the interesting ability to be changed by rolling opamps or tubes and getting slightly different sound signatures (I say slightly, because the differences across high end components are quite minor, but there).

I won't pretend to give advice on what any of the stuff you're looking at sounds like; I haven't spent any time with em. As Momiji mentioned everyone likes something different, but it seems as though you're willing to buy one of everything to see what you like the best. Definitely one of the methods.

Maybe you're one of the lucky ones in the UAE and have some cash to spend :p. The best advise I can give you is to not trust the audio advise of others. I like my HD800. At our Brisbane meet, many people were... disappointed with them. They thought they would love them. They were wrong.

I think having 3 headphones plugged into one amp is kind of silly. If you're wanting to switch between different headphones, go buy a switch! It would be a pretty easy DIY job too. :).

I'm going to watch this thread to see what you do.

Pardon me, but I don't fully agree with you to not trust other peoples' audio advise.

I have relied on it and am quite happy with my collection of headphones so far.

I do however agree that personal tastes & preferances vary (that's the reason I said that I do'nt FULLY agree :)

I personally prefer the Grados and HD800 to the LCD-2, just to vindicate your point

In any case I did not have much choice since I live in Dubai where there are absolutely no places to audition headphones, amps, etc.

A local dealer is helping me and has promised to get The Schiit Amps in a few weeks so I will be able to audition them with my headphones.

Either way... my suggestion to you is not just go for different sound sigs across styles of amps, but also try different types of amps. Get some solid state amps (discrete and opamp based), tube amps, hybrid amps perhaps, with/without DAC, etc. Tubes might sound great with the HD800, but mediocre with the Grados... might as well have the other option at hand.

Thanks dan, thats exactly what I want to do ; try all the different kinds of delicious tastes & flavours of music